Short Hiking

The word ‘hiking’ refers to gentle walk along Himalayan trails that has been appreciated by all as the most happening open – air activity. But we can found that hiking has been discovered as the soul cleansing accomplishment desired by anyone who welcomes nature. Level of difficulty depends largely upon where, when and how one is hiking. With proper preparation before and having observed basic hiking rules, Nepal is regarded as a safe country to hike. Nepal provides a myriad of opportunities for hiking enthusiasts from easy to physically demanding Himalayan excursion. There is no pressure to speed up step during hiking. We rather encourage you to set your own leisurely pace allowing yourself explore the beauty of close surroundings abundantly. It is simply not a job of walking from one place to another heading towards a final destination, but more a continuing experience of Nepal’s diversity in terms of ethnicity, religions, topography, etc. Thus, it is not concerned with distance. At the higher elevation, hiking will be based on rest and explore in between to enable you adjust with the new environment and to meet full acclimatization.

Basically, hiking can be categorized into two types comprising of tented camping hike and teahouse hike. How to make a hike depends upon the routes chosen. Tented camping hike is suitable where there is not teahouse infrastructure and economical for large groups which costs comparatively high for small team. Whereas, while hiking on the most popular routes connected with good teahouse network, lodge to lodge hike is recommended. The main emphasis should be placed on keeping oneself safe, warm and healthy while ensuring a momentous journey.

Trips in  Short Hiking


Hiking Gears

It is very important to know about right kind of hiking gears and stuffs before backpacking for mountains. After all, these equipments and gears are your only bet for survival at a place that is so far from any kind of habitation. The most important thing is size. You must check that you put hiking gears of right size. Keeping over or under-sized hiking gears is like not keeping that gear at all. You must keep a keen eye on the make of these hiking gears. Old and useless hiking gears will be of no use besides increasing your burden. Following is the list of items that are the must keep before venturing out for hiking and peak climbing in Nepal:

Hiking Equipments

  1. Ice axe
  2. Climbing with Ice Axe
  3. Ascending with Ice Axe
  4. Ice Axe as an anchorage
  5. Ice Hammer
  6. Ascent Method (Device)
  7. Descent Method (Device)
  8. 3 point Anchorage
  9. Jumar
  10. Belay Device (Figure 8)
  11. Ice Screw

Other Hiking Gears and Equipments

  1. Quick Draws
  2. Rock Hammer
  3. Friends
  4. Rock piton
  5. Crampons
  6. Chocks
  7. Snowbar
  8. Oxygen Cylinder
  9. Mountain cooking gas stove
  10. Helmet
  11. Snow rocket
  12. Climbing boots

Types of Climbing Knots

  1. Prussic Knot
  2. Fisherman Knot
  3. Half Sailor Knot
  4. Middleman Knot
  5. D. Sheet Knot
  6. Sheep Shank Knot
  7. Bowline Knot
  8. S. Sheet Bend
  9. Thumb Knot/ Stopper Knot
  10. Tie Knot
  11. Over hand Knot
  12. Running Bowling
  13. Triple Bowling on the Bight
  14. Water man Knot
  15. Provisional Knot

Tips for Hiking in Nepal

Peak Hiking or Peak Climbing is a very dangerous activity. Scores of hikers have died while trying to scale the lofty Himalayan peaks. While the majority of them have died because of avalanches, a sizable chunk among them has died of fall too. In that scenario, it becomes extremely important to go through the safety tips for hiking.

If you have not scaled high peaks earlier then don't rush to an 8000 meters peak. Try to scale smaller peaks first.
If you think that you have already scaled high peaks at Ural, Alps or Andes and you might get help from that experience then you are mistaken. Europeans and South-American peaks are as different from their Himalayan cousins as chalk and cheese.
Motivation is required to complete this long journey so see what motivates you. It is always better to venture alone than to take friends who have negative vibes.
Examine your physical and mental strengths. Body resistance differs from person to person so avoid comparing yourself with others. You must be also technically sound to make proper use of tools with you.
Frostbite is the problem most of the hikers face during the course of their journey. Keep yourself covered properly and handle water with immense care.
Keep ample stock of medicine including extra shots of anti-endemic injections.
Never overlook what your sixth sense says. Follow it or at least listen to what it is saying.
Meet some of the experienced hikers or certified guiding service and know about their good and bad experiences. Enquire about the necessary things required.
At higher altitudes breathing becomes difficult and so learns how to face such situation. Start doing exercises that needs frequent oxygen inhaling.
Learn the basic climbing techniques such as rappelling, belaying, anchor systems, climbing protection, useful climbing knots, basic rope management, and most important, basic wilderness survival.
Preferably you can go for weight training programs. This will make you more energetic and prevent you from getting into unnecessary injuries.

Peaks Opened for Hiking in Nepal

There are more than 1300 identified peaks in Nepal. Not all of them are opened for trekking, mountaineering and hiking in Nepal. There are less than 200 peaks in total that are opened for hiking in Nepal. There are various categorizations. The best among those are given in the list.

The whole mountaineering and trekking process is weather dependent. Not all seasons are fit for mountaineering. There are basically four mountaineering seasons: spring (March-May), summer (June-August), autumn (September-November) and winter (December-February). Climbing permits are issued by the Ministry of Tourism & Civil Aviation (MOTCA) for 135 peaks known as mountaineering peaks, and by the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) for 18 smaller peaks, known as trekking peaks, which range from 5,587 to 6,654 m in altitude. Following is the list of some of the best trekking and mountaineering destinations in Nepal: -

Teahouse Hiking areas in Nepal

  1. Everest Base Camp
  2. Annapurna Base Camp
  3. Gokyo Ri
  4. Gokyo EBC Chola La
  5. Langtang Valley
  6. Langtang Gosaikunda
  7. Annapurna Circuit
  8. Everest Panorama
  9. Jomsom Ghorepani
  10. Everest Trek Via Jiri

Major Peaks for Hiking/climbing in Nepal

  1. Everest Peak
  2. Annapurna Peak
  3. Langtang Peak
  4. Manaslu Peak
  5. Dhaulagiri Peak
  6. Dolpo Peak
  7. Mustang Peak
  8. Kanchanjunga Peak
  9. Ganesh Himal Peak
  10. Rolwaling Peak
  11. Makalu Peak